Diamond Miller was livid after she was compelled to hurry a three-point try on the halftime buzzer Sunday afternoon in Xfinity Heart. The shot didn’t come near the rim, and he or she shook her fists in frustration as Maryland Coach Brenda Frese grabbed her star guard for a fast chat. Miller then yanked the jersey out of her shorts as she headed for the locker room.
Maryland
No. 8 Maryland regroups at halftime, baffles Illinois for third straight win
Twenty minutes of recreation motion later, she had 31 factors, one shy of a profession excessive, and had led No. 8 Maryland to its largest comeback of the season. After trailing by 11 not lengthy earlier than halftime, the Terrapins used a dominant third quarter to safe an 82-71 victory over Illinois and enhance to 13-0 towards the Preventing Illini all time.
“Halftime was what halftime wanted to be,” mentioned Miller, whose staff has received three in a row following a lopsided loss at then-No. 6 Iowa. “I believe that fired us up, and after we got here again out we got here out taking part in good protection and simply executing on either side of the courtroom. I believe all of us just about felt it. And that’s what we have to work on as a staff, flipping the change a bit bit extra rapidly than what we do.”
After trailing 37-28 at halftime, Maryland (21-5, 12-3 Massive Ten) basically turned this matchup right into a laugher by fully upending the sport within the third quarter. The Terps picked up their full-court strain and blended in quite a lot of traps that baffled Illinois (19-7, 9-6), which turned over the ball 10 instances within the quarter (and 25 instances within the recreation). Maryland closed on a 13-0 run for a 31-8 margin within the quarter — and a 59-45 lead.
Miller set the tone by driving to the basket for a layup; she was fouled and completed the three-point play. Because the quarter wore on, Illinois at instances might barely get the ball throughout the half-court line. Maryland performed numerous zone protection within the first half however switched to man-to-man within the quarter — and that had Illinois on its heels.
“That type of simply upped our power,” Maryland ahead Religion Masonius mentioned. “And we realized as soon as we pressed, we’ve that strain. We’re lengthy. We are able to get these steals and simply get wide-open layups. It type of simply gave us that power push we wanted.”
Frese mentioned she challenged Miller and sophomore guard Shyanne Sellers throughout halftime. It labored: Miller added 9 rebounds and 4 assists to her game-high level complete, and Sellers completed with 13 factors, six assists, 4 rebounds and 5 steals. Abby Meyers added 18 factors, 4 rebounds and 4 steals.
Makira Prepare dinner led the Illini with 29 factors, and Jada Peebles scored 17. The guests had been with out their second-leading scorer, guard Genesis Bryant, due to harm.
Illinois has improved considerably underneath first-year coach Shauna Inexperienced after it completed 1-13 in Massive Ten play final season. That wasn’t sufficient Sunday, particularly within the third quarter.
“The priority, clearly, taking part in [the Terps] is their strain,” Inexperienced mentioned. “And we dealt with it effective till that third quarter, after we didn’t deal with it effective.”
Right here’s what else to find out about Maryland’s win:
Maryland didn’t hit a three-pointer for the primary time this season; it completed 0 for 17 from behind the arc. However the Terps had been a season-best 18 for 18 on the free throw line. Illinois hit 12 three-pointers and nonetheless misplaced handily.
Illinois’ 25 turnovers had been a season excessive — the Terps turned them into 29 factors. Maryland had 30 fast-break factors and 56 factors within the paint.
“Typically we get cussed and never pay attention in timeouts,” Frese mentioned. “Simply understanding each recreation goes to be completely different — us attending to the free throw line 16 instances within the second half and being 100% was a giant X-factor on high of our protection. So these two areas, they only type of began to grasp the place they may very well be profitable.
“That is the place it’s at in February and March. … You must discover methods to win which might be going to be completely different.”
The Terps, who sit in third place within the Massive Ten, have simply three common season video games left. They go to Michigan State on Saturday earlier than internet hosting No. 5 Iowa on Feb. 21. The common season wraps up at No. 13 Ohio State on Feb. 24.
Indiana (23-1, 13-1), ranked No. 2 within the nation, controls its Massive Ten future. Nevertheless it nonetheless has to play Ohio State, No. 12 Michigan and Iowa.
The Massive Ten match begins March 1 in Minneapolis.
Maryland held senior day festivities to honor its 4 outgoing upperclassmen. Miller, Meyers, Masonius and Elisa Pinzan had been acknowledged. Terps followers nonetheless have yet one more likelihood to see them at Xfinity Heart towards Iowa subsequent week.
Sheila Johnson, the Washington Mystics’ president and managing companion, was within the constructing for the matchup along with her alma mater, and he or she spent a while chatting with Frese earlier than the sport. Johnson was the primary Black cheerleader at Illinois.